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Same jets, different look
January 20, 1974, marked a momentous occasion for the U.S. Air Force as Phil Oestricher, a General Dynamics test pilot, strapped into the cockpit of the F-16 prototype and prepared to take off. The first flight lasted mere moments and only made it a few feet off the ground.
Since then, the F-16 Fighting Falcon has improved by leaps and bounds to become the aircraft it is today. More than 4,500 jets have been built since their first production in 1978 and are based at more than 80 locations worldwide.

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4/062017

Airman 1st Class Ian Patten
Resiliency is a hot topic in the Air Force. It’s stressed constantly and with good reason; Airmen who are more resilient are better able to maintain focus on their jobs and accomplish the mission.
Airman 1st Class Ian Patten, a 354th Operations Squadron airfield system technician, joined the Air Force in 2016. He finds motivation for his work through his passion for knowledge in both cultural and military history.

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4/042017

Community improvement through giving
Many Airmen join the Air Force right out of high school. Some have families they need to support and income can be tight for the first few years. A simple shirt, or pair of baby shoes can make or break the budget.
There are many organizations which help Airmen and their families through these tight situations; one of them being the Airman’s Attic, which provides gently-used items for free to Airmen.

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3/212017

Eielson Airmen journey to Alyeska
Sixteen unaccompanied Airmen visited Aleyska Resort, Girdwood, Alaska, on a chapel-sponsored ski trip aimed to build morale. Airman stationed at Eielson face a unique challenge -- harsh, long winters and little recreational opportunities. This can be especially disheartening if Airmen have to face it away from friends and family in a dorm room.

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3/142016

You've got mail: mailroom Icemen sort it out
For many Airmen stationed overseas sometimes the smallest letter or box from home can be the difference between a good day or a bad day. Knowledge operations managers remain vigilant on the job to preserve Eielson's mission by ensuring communication channels, including mail, flow flawlessly within the 354th Fighter Wing.U.S. Air Force Senior Airman

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1/312014

Focus on fitness: Informal base running group challenges, encourages
Some people are just born to run. They make running look swift, effortless and easy as they glide along a track or road. They can complete a 1.5-mile run in outstanding time and barely break a sweat. They run 5Ks and half marathons - and they love it. These people can be regarded by some as natural athletes and by others as the object of their

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11/052013

CAP simulates threats, assists RF-A pilots
During RED FLAG-Alaska, fighter aircraft dominate the skies. Participating forces identify hostile targets while waging a simulated war - but not all hostiles are fighters.Eielson's own Civil Air Patrol 71st Composite Squadron plays a role during RF-A by simulating Antonov An-2 Colts, primarily using a deHavilland Canada DHC-2 Beaver aircraft.

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8/212013

Nondestructive inspection: Finding the cracks
While playing football during physical training, an Airman hurts his arm. Thinking nothing of it, he brushes it off and continues playing. Though after weeks of excruciating pain and a visit to the medical group's radiology section, an x-ray finds his ulna is fractured. Aircraft undergo similar stressors requiring specially trained Airmen to find

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8/192013

Bringing fabrication to the fight
The noise of metal being blasted by water jetting from a machine at Mach 3 overwhelms the room. On one side of the shop, joints creek under the extreme pressure of a metal press; sparks fly from another corner. In the 354th Maintenance Squadron's metals technology shop, Icemen can be found welding metal, manufacturing parts for F-16 Fighting

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7/252013

Alaska by motorcycle: Unique experience bears uncommon hazards
It's the middle of summer and motorcyclists continue to travel as many routes as possible throughout Alaska before the short, four-month riding season comes to a close. Daylight still illuminates the landscape well past 10 p.m. and while riding long stretches of highway with sparse traffic, it can be easy to forget just how many hazards can quickly